Invalid-bed.



No. 337,504. PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906. H. L. PRIOHARD.

INVALID BED. urpmATIoN FILED mum. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' A TTORNE Y5 N0. 837,504. PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906. H. L. PRICHARD.

INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED mum. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' By v ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON. A c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

INVALID-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1806.

Application filed March 6, 1906. Serial No. 304.578.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. PRICHARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Invalid-Bed, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to bedsteads, and more particularly to a mattress-supporting frame designed for use in connection with invalid-bedsteads.

The object of the invention is to provide a mattress-supporting frame formed of a plurality of pivotally-united sections capable of being adjusted at any angle or inclination with respect to the side rails, thereby to insure the comfort of the occupant and permit the latter to assume various positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for retaining the mattress and bedclothing in position on the frame, and, further, to provide novel means for releasing the rack-bars when adjusting the pivoted frame-sections.

A still further object is to generally improve this class ofdevices so as to increase their utility and durability, as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an invalid-bed constructed in accordance with my invention.- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section, looking toward the headboard. Fig. 4 is a similar view looking toward the footboard. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the head-section a d a portion of the supporting-frame. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the mattress-supporting frame, showin in dotted lines the lower frame-section in lowered position.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The improved mattress-supporting frame may be used in connection with either wooden or metallic bedsteads and by way of illustration is shown applied to a wooden bedstead of the ordinary construction, in which 5 designates the headboard, and 6 the footboard, connected by the side rails 7.

The supporting-frame consists of a pair of longitudinal rails 8, spaced apart by transverse bars 9, 10,. and 11, which rest 011 the slats 12 and support the frame in position on the bedstead. Rigidly secured to the side rails 8 is a stationary section 13, and pivoted to said rails, as indicated at 14, are movable sections 15 and 16, the movable and stationary sections being covered by a strip of woven-wire fabric, canvas, or other suitable material to form the bed-bottom, as shown.

The opposite ends of the stationary section 13 are concavcd at 16 for the reception of the correspondingly-curved ends 17 of the movable sections, and pivoted at 18 to the sides of the headsection 15 are segmental rack bars 19, adapted to engage locking-pins 20, extending laterally from the side rails S. The side bars of the section 15 are formed with longitudinal grooves or recesses adapted to receive the rack-bars when the latter are in inoperative position, so as to permit said section to be folded downwardly in contact with the transverse bar 9, and thus allow the mattress 21 to be supported in a horizontal plane. Pivotally mounted at 22 in longitudinal grooves or recesses 23 in the side rails 8 are similar rack-bars 24, the teeth of which are adapted to engage locking-pins 25, extending laterally from the movable footsection 16. The rack-bars 19 and 24 are normally held in engagement with the locking-pins by means of coiled springs 26 and 27, the springs 26 being secured to the rackbars 19 and the side bars of the head-section, respectively, While the springs 27 are secured to the rack-bars 24 of the adjacent side rails 8, as shown.

As a means for adjusting the movable sections to vary the inclination of the mattress suitable operating-cords 28 are fastened in eyes 29 on the rack-bars 19 and pass through similar eyes 30 on the pivoted end of the section 15 and thence through an eye 31 on the transverse beam 9 to an eye 32 on the end bar 33 of said section. It will thus be seen that by exerting a longitudinal pull on the operating-cord 28 the rack-bar will be moved laterally against the tension of the spring 26 out of engagement with the pin 20, and thereby permit the head-section to be either raised or lowered. Secured to eyes 34 on the rack-bars 24 are similar operating-cords 36, which pass through eyes 37, secured to the side rails 8, and engage loops or eyes 38, fastened to the end bar 29 of the movable footsection 16, as shown. The movable head and foot sections are also preferably provided with finger-pieces 40 to assist in raising and lowering said sections.

As a means for retaining the mattress and bedclothing in position on the supportingframe when the latter is adjusted to support the patient in an inclined or sitting position suitable clamping members are secured to the side bars of the stationary and movable sections for engagement with said mattress. The clamping members each consist of a rod 41, mounted for vertical movement in a sleeve or collar 42 and provided with an angular extension 43, adapted to bear against the mattress or bedclothing, said members being locked in adjusted position by set-screws 44, passing through the side walls of the stationary and movable sections and engaging the rods, as shown.

In order to lock the movable foot-section 16 in horizontal alinement with the intermediate stationary section 13, the former is provided with suitable hooks 45, which engage eyes 46, secured to the side rails 8. The side rails 8 are also provided with a plurality of spaced recesses or sockets 46, adapted to receive the standard ofa table 47, thus permitting the table to be adjusted longitudinally of the bedstead and used on either side thereof.

From the foregoing description it is thought that the device will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is A device of the class described comprising a supporting-frame provided with longitudinal recesses, stationary and movable sections supported by the frame, rack-bars pivoted in said recesses and adapted to engage the adjacent movable section for locking the latter in adjusted position, rack-bars pivotally mounted in longitudinal recesses in the opposite movable section and adapted to engage the supporting-frame, springs for holding the rack-bars in operative position, and a flexible medium connected to each rack-bar for moving the latter to release position. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY L. PRICHARD.

Witnesses:

ROBERT H. HAMILTON, MARK L. HARGROVE. 

